1. Field
This disclosure relates to automated music analysis and music creation based on the analysis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Can computers be creative? The question drives an old philosophical debate that goes back to Alan Turing's claim in 1950 that “a computational system can possess all important elements of human thinking or understanding.” Creativity is one of those things that makes humans special, and is a key issue for artificial intelligence and cognitive sciences: if computers cannot be creative, then 1) they cannot be intelligent, and 2) people are not machines. Dartnall, Terry, “Artificial Intelligence and Creativity: an Interdisciplinary Approach” (Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1994)
The standard argument against computers' ability to create is that they merely follow instructions. Nonetheless, there have been several attempts at building creative machines.
Composing music is creating by putting sounds together. Composition is regarded as an elitist, almost mysterious ability, that requires years of training. If a computer brings into existence a piece of music by assembling sounds together, doesn't it compose music?